Monochrome
by americanned beans
Summary: "Nobody noticed at first. Well, nobody except Jack, of course. For this he was grateful, but it also left him to be consumed by dread. When would he have to tell them? What if something happened and he was forced to tell them? He shuddered at the thought. But it was okay- I mean, it wasn't like he was scared or anything. Or ashamed. Why would he be ashamed?" cover's not mine! :))


Nobody noticed at first. Well, nobody except Jack, of course. For this he was grateful, but it also left him to be consumed by dread. When would he have to tell them? What if something happened and he was forced to tell them? He shuddered at the thought. But it was okay- I mean, it wasn't like he was scared or anything. Or ashamed. Why would he be ashamed? Of course he wasn't nervous about what the other Guardians would think of his, er, "disability." Taking in slow and deep breaths, Jack scolded himself. They wouldn't be ashamed, Jack repeated in his head. It didn't even effect his work much, he was still completely capable. All it did was create some minor setbacks. But still, in the back of his mind, a voice told him otherwise. A voice that resembled a certain spirit of fear too much to be considered a coincidence.

Shaking his head lightly as if to clear it, he turned his focus back to the meeting that was currently being held. Fortunately, Tooth, Bunny, and North were caught up in a conversation about how Bunny's teeth were once in horrible condition, much to his dismay and North's amusement. Only the Sandman, who was sitting directly opposite of Jack, seemed to take notice of the winter elf's strange antics. The two met eyes for a second, Jack's and a pair of radiant gold that Jack couldn't see, before the contact was quickly averted by the snowy sprite. The small dreamweaver cocked his head to the side and was about to sign an inquiry towards the boy of ice when North turned his attention him and asked in a loud, booming voice, "Isn't that right, Sandy? Your remedies for bad breath could top even Tooth's!" To which the Sandman beamed with pride and nodded. And with that the night continued as if nothing was amiss, the snow and sleet pattering against the windows and a cold air slithering through amidst the warm waves coming off of the fire pit in use. But maybe that's what caused the occasional concerned glance in Jack's direction. Oh well, it's not like Jack noticed or cared that much.

When the room slowly quieted down a bit into a welcomed silence, Bunny suddenly remembered something and voiced it to Jack's horror. "Hey, Frostbite, I need ya' help paintin' my googies. The last helper I had abandoned me-" A pointed look towards Santa sitting next to him, which was met with a shrug, "-so I need a new victi- I mean, uh, volunteer. Easter's not too far away and I'm a bit behind this year." Immediately Jack's eyes went wide. Sputtering, he quickly managed, "Oh, uh, sorry Bunny I can't I have a blizzard planned on that day and ya' know stuff to do and I'm also pretty much a horrible painter so uh that is a really bad idea so, sorry!" Silence. A raised eyebrow. An eye-contact-avoiding spirit. Then, suddenly, a bark of laughter from North as Bunny's expression turned sour. "Well, Frostbite, if ya' were so against helpin' me ya' coulda' just said so." As soon as Jack heard this accusation he backtracked, clearly not thinking this through. He didn't want to sound rude. "Oh no that's not what I just uh, I'd be willing to help just, ya' know, I uh, uhm... I'm w-willing to help you just what all do you need helping with?" He internally slapped himself for stuttering. Bunny, on the other hand, looked surprised, if not a bit amused. "Painting." The response was instantaneous. "No." The raised eyebrow met it's brother. "What d'ya have against paintin', mate? Ya' say it like it'll bite." Jack felt the familiar sensation of frost coating over his cheeks with a mind of it's own as his way of unique blushing. Of course, with his luck, a conversation like this would spring up. Just great.

And now, since he was acting so flustered, of course Bunny was going to pry. Memories from over three centuries ago flooded his mind of similar conversations leading to teasing and bullying as a live human. That one time they purposely lied and made fun of his clothing so he would be self conscious. When they would exclude him from almost everything because he "was a witch" or "had a disease" or "was a dog," a personal favourite of most kids. But no, he was a Guardian now! 300 years later! That was in the past, and Jack was over it! Or at least, that's what he insisted in believing.

But, back to the present, four out of five Guardians shared a look and realized that this was a touchy subject, for some unknown reason. The sound of the Pooka's voice seemed to jolt the youngest Guardian from his thoughts. "Uh, mate? Ya' there?" Once again, Jack avoided his friend's- no, family's- eyes and said in a much quieter voice, "Oh, uh, yeah." Now, slightly worried (though Bunny would never admit it), Bunnymund's voice was soft when he jokingly asked,"What, you afraid of paintbrushes?" Attempting at lightening the mood, Jack flashed a quick smile, but they could tell it was forced. "No, I'd just be really, really not good for the job. Unless you wanted greyscale eggs for Easter," the ice elf stated almost nervously. Tooth and North shared confused looks, until realization dawned on her face. "Oh, Sweet Tooth, are you saying you're...?" Before she could finish, Jack sighed. Deciding that it was now or never, he went ahead and, against his better judgement, finished for her in a quick jumble of words. "Yes. I'm saying that I'm completely colourblind, and I can't see any colour at all except black and white. I have been like this since before I can remember," Jack finished, both relieved and nervous now that he had gotten that off of his chest. What were the others going to say? Would they say the same things the other townsfolk had said long, long ago? Would they be disgusted by him? Would they pity him? He hated being pitied, he hoped they didn't. And he had just begun to think of them as a- a family. He waited for pity or disgust, though. He waited for Tooth to look at him with wide, disturbed eyes full of pity and avoid him or hug him until he couldn't breathe.

Except it never came. Instead, the not-as-hushed-anymore voice of Bunny came, full of anything but pity. "Oh, that explains a lot. How come ya' never told us before, Frostbite?" Jack stared at him for only a second before looking away with shame and explaining. "I-I thought you would think I was weird or diseased or something, or crippled. I was afraid you guys would pity me o-or I don't know, but I thought you would be ashamed of me, l-like I was a.." He started rambling nervously, it felt good to finally talk to someone about it. He didn't even notice when his already excited and nervous mindset began getting hysterical. Suddenly stopping, he took a deep breath and risked a glance at the other four.

"Like a what, Jackie?" He saw Aster say. He was almost jittery at their apparent lack of disgust, but was still slightly afraid, and unfortunately it was painfully obvious. "Like a," insert nervous laugh right about here, "I don't know, like a dog.." Everyone heard the mumbled 'That's what they used to say.' An awkward silence ensued, where they all wanted to comfort him, not knowing how to, but it was thankfully broken by North. "Did you know that it has been proven that dogs do not see in greyscale?" He said, completely poker-faced. Jack blinked at that, before suddenly laughing out loud. The others soon joined in, glad to see their little colonist through with his strange jittery episode. And, just like that, the cold breezes stopped and the sleet quieted down outside. Afterwards, the guardians of childhood continued with conversations and small, playful banter, glad that the atmosphere had lifted.

Jack was just glad that was over and done with.


End file.
